Buhari Never Told  Osinbajo To Contest Against Tinubu – Bisi Akande

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, has revealed that late former President Muhammadu Buhari told him he did not instigate former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to contest against President Bola Tinubu in the 2022 APC presidential primary.

Speaking on State Affairs, a podcast hosted by Edmund Obilo, Akande said Buhari made it clear to him that Osinbajo’s decision to contest was entirely his own and not encouraged by the former president.

During the 2022 APC primary election, Tinubu emerged as the party’s flagbearer, while Osinbajo finished a distant third. Osinbajo is widely regarded as Tinubu’s political protégé, having served as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Lagos State during Tinubu’s tenure as governor. Tinubu is also believed to have played a key role in Osinbajo’s emergence as Buhari’s vice president.

Akande explained that Osinbajo did not step down for Tinubu because he exercised his constitutional right to contest.

“I wanted everybody to be free to contest the election, but without bitterness,” Akande said. “I wanted them to talk on issues and not destroy one another because I wanted one of them to emerge in the end. I wanted a Yoruba president.”

He added that several aspirants stepped down after consultations, even on the eve of the primary, but Osinbajo chose to remain in the race.

“Osinbajo did not step down, and I did not discuss it with Tinubu thereafter,” Akande said. “Osinbajo had every right to contest, and I don’t blame anybody for contesting elections.”

On speculation that Buhari worked against Tinubu, Akande said the former president denied it.

“He wanted me to understand that he was not the one who instigated Osinbajo to contest against Tinubu,” Akande said. “He told me that in his culture, when your mentor is interested in a position, you don’t contest with him. When Osinbajo came, he was surprised and only wished him well.”

Akande’s account contrasts with claims in Buhari’s biography, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr Charles Omole, which states that Buhari did not support Osinbajo’s presidential ambition.

According to the book, Buhari said he never supported Osinbajo’s 2022 ambition because he barely knew him personally and only knew him through Tinubu.

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